The display of consumer products in a retail environment is a very important. The display of consumer products in pre-determined formats creates desired shopping experience for a shopper and generate sales for a retailer.
Consumer products are typically placed in pre-determined formats on shelves based on categories (e.g., health and beauty, liquor, grocery, etc.) For a category, plural display tactics are determined. The display tactics include such tactics as shelf management, promotion, pricing, assortment, etc.
The consumer products displayed on a shelf includes an assortment of products. An assortment of products increases shopper interest, increases shopper satisfaction and provides a retailer with more sales. However, too large an assortment of products may frustrate a consumer lead to higher costs for a retailer.
Most consumer products are sold off shelves stores. Consumers can browse shelves and physically pick up a product, remove it from the shelf, read the label, etc. However, when products are virtually displayed on a web-site and sold via electronic commerce (e-commerce) such as via the Internet or other communications network, consumers have a totally different shopping experience.
There are several problems associated with virtually displaying consumer products on a web-site. One problem is that consumer products are typically displayed one or a few at a time on a web-site. This is much different shopping experience than seeing all products for a category of products displayed on a shelf at the same time.
Another problem is that all products in a category of products typically are not displayed at the same time. Many consumers don't remember product details, and sometimes even the product's actual name. Instead many consumers rely on a size, shape, color or other packaging feature of the product to effect its purchase.
Another problem is that consumer products are typically displayed with one or more digital images. However, the digital image may not include the whole product package to allow a consumer to make an appropriate choice. For example, the digital image of the product may not include packing information for the reverse or back of the product. Such a virtual display would prevent the consumer from checking the product ingredients, warning labels, etc.
Another problem is that there have been some attempts to display three-dimensional or other views of consumer products. For example, video images are often created that provide a 360 degree view of the product. However, such video images are typically large and slow to download and display.
However, these inventions still do not solve all of the problems associated with displaying consumer products. It would thus be desirable to a method and system for displaying and managing images of consumer products.